Assess the extent to which we can uncover the true figure of crime.

... Assess the extent to which we can uncover the true figure of crime. Official crime statistics report crime levels have been reported to be steadily falling since 1995, although showing a slight increase in burglaries. These official statistics are released by the Home Office, and are collected from police records in the UK, these statistics are widely regarded to be a true and accurate measure of crime, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Another way of recording crime is through self report studies, which although does give out some indication of crime levels, it is considered to be inaccurate due to the anonymity of those surveyed meaning there is a chance of exaggeration or lying. A more reliable source would perhaps be a victim survey such as the BCS, a large scale survey conducted in the UK, which enables victims to report crime. Criminologists have used these to try to decrease the amount

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